LSU and USC are causing a split poll again. The Tigers were ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Saturday with USC nabbing the top spot despite NCAA sanctions levied last year.

LSU, which was ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches poll earlier this month, got 16 first-place votes coming in behind No. 2 Alabama, which had 17. USC pulled 25 first place votes. The rankings are similar to the way the 2003 season ended in a split vote with USC getting the No. 1 spot in the AP poll and LSU getting the top spot in the coaches poll after defeating Oklahoma, 21-14, in the BCS title game in the Sugar Bowl.

LSU likely would have been ranked No. 1 had not Heisman Trophy finalist and All American cornerback Tyrann Mathieu been kicked off the team for multiple positive drug tests last week. The AP extended the voting deadline in wake of the dismissal. Prior to losing Mathieu, LSU had received 28 first-place votes, followed by USC with 22 first-place votes and Alabama with nine.

Oklahoma (1) and Oregon round out the top five. Georgia was No. 6, followed by Florida State, Michigan (1), South Carolina and Arkansas, giving the SEC five team in the top 10.

USC enters the season ranked atop the Associated Press poll for the first time since 2007, when the Trojans went 10-2 in the regular season before beating Illinois in the Rose Bowl.

With LSU ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, it's the first time one team doesn't top both preseason polls since 1997 when Penn State and Florida both received a No. 1 ranking.

No. 23 Florida join Alabama, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina and Arkansas in the Top 25 for a total of six schools from the Southeastern Conference.

The six SEC schools ties the Big 12 for the most represented conference. The Big Ten had five, the Pac-12 and ACC had three and the Mountain West and Big East had one each.

LSU will square off against four teams in the Associated Press' Top 25: at Florida on Oct. 6, South Carolina on Oct. 13 and Alabama on Nov. 3 -- both at Tiger Stadium -- and at Arkansas on Nov. 23 in Fayetteville for the regular-season finale.

The Tigers will also host No. 27 Washington on Sept. 8 and travel to play No. 28 Auburn on Sept. 22.